


Just to Relax

by Justbrowsing



Series: My tumblr stories [6]
Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff without Plot, M/M, hairstylist!erik
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-08-19
Packaged: 2018-12-17 06:14:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11845638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justbrowsing/pseuds/Justbrowsing
Summary: Charles has had a rough week, and he's decided that a trip to his stylist is the best way to unwind.





	Just to Relax

Charles ran a hand through his hair. It wasn’t long, really. And he certainly didn’t need a haircut, but he wanted one. He didn’t want it for the change of style, or because the summer was too hot. He actually enjoyed the act of styling his hair and having control over whether or not he looked good that day, rather than the amount of sleep he got.

However, what he wanted was for his stylist to run those long fingers over his scalp as he massaged shampoo and conditioner into his hair. He wanted the feel of large palms cupping the base of his skull, squeezing the pressure of the last two weeks away. He wanted to hear the deep hum of contentment from the man as he got lost in his job. He wanted to feel the golden glow of a mutation in use for a positive purpose in close vicinity to him.

The entire atmosphere of Shaw’s Salon was relaxed when said owner wasn’t there. All of the employees were friendly and incredibly competent. Erik was the main barber while Emma helped make styles translate directly from the person’s mind. Janos was fantastic at helping people get the effortless wind-tossed style that everyone longed for, and Azazel was always there in a pinch when they needed a special product from some other country. The business was a well-run machine excluding the manager who didn’t even warrant thinking about.

Charles looked at his hair and ran his fingers through the longer strands at the top. He really needed a pick-me-up after mid-terms. Students were getting their grades back, and they were coming to complain to him almost immediately. It was with a heavy heart that he picked up his cell-phone and scrolled through to the salon. “Hi, Azazel. It’s Charles. Can you tell me when Erik—“ He blinked as Azazel told him to come in immediately. “Alright, thank you,” he said with a surprised stutter.

He wasn’t about to turn down the offer. He only had a few papers left to do, and he could bring that home with him, not that he liked doing that. It was with a slightly happier mood that he packed his bags and made his way out to his unexpected appointment.

* * *

Erik wasn’t normally free on such short notice. Charles imagined that the man had had a cancel. He frowned when he walked up to the dim building, though. Most of the lights were off. Pulling out his phone, he dialed the number again and saw movement inside. “Shaw’s Salon,” Azazel answered blandly.

“Did you move locations? Or are your lights out for a reason?” Charles asked curiously.

“Just come on it. Don’t worry about the lights,” the Russian stated curtly before hanging up. Charles sighed heavily and went up to the door. It opened readily enough, and inside the four employees were sitting on the couches with masks over their faces. “Erik, your four o’clock is here,” the red man said without looking up.

“They cancelled,” Erik stated, refusing to remove his facial mask.

“Yes, and Charles called to make an appointment. He’s here.”

“Hi Charles,” Emma said, waving a hand in the approximate direction of the door.

“Hello Emma,” the professor returned politely. “If you want me to come back another time, I’d be happy to make an actual appointment,” he told the room, already hitching up his bag to leave.

“No!” Erik exclaimed, slapping his facial mask down onto the table and hopping up. “I’ll do you now,” he said. There was only a second of silence, but that second stretched on for quite a while, comparatively. “I mean, you can stay. Let’s get started,” he said, making his way awkwardly towards the washing station. Charles was suddenly glad for the dim lighting that hid his blush. It had been quite a while since he had last been with anyone, and the man was model-level attractive. But then, everyone in the salon was. That was a large pull for them. The fact that all were talented stylists was just a bonus for the business. “You don’t need a touchup,” Erik observed as he lay a blanket down over Charles’ lap. “Already bored with this style?” he asked curiously, running his fingers through it briefly before laying Charles head back over the sink.

“No, no. I just…” Charles sighed heavily and closed his eyes as a piece of soft paper was adhered to his forehead to protect his face from droplets. “I find haircuts from you relaxing, and this week has been hell,” he admitted.

“Well, why don’t I just give you a wash and a styling, then?” the barber asked, not starting the water yet. “I think this style looks good on you, and I’d hate for you to change it already.”

Charles blushed at the praise and felt his chest tighten at the thought that he didn’t necessarily need a haircut to get the service. He was woefully ignorant of the services in this industry, and was grateful that Erik didn’t mind losing money on educating him. “That sounds wonderful,” he said. “Though, I wonder—“ He cut himself off abruptly as warm water began running from the tap and through his hair.

“What is it?” Erik asked, deep voice cutting through the suserrating water.

Charles was too distracted to remember what he was saying. Normally he didn’t attempt to talk while dexterous fingers furrowed his hair. Now, as he tried, all that came out was a moan of contentment. Erik chuckled and let him have the moment.

The fingers were wonderfully relaxing. Knowing that he didn’t have to hold his head up when it was lifted was freeing. His brain was heavy with knowledge and exhaustion. And for these few minutes, he was able to just turn off and let someone else hold the weight and ease it from his neck.

Erik seemed to take longer than normal on his hair, and Charles was nearly asleep when the familiar scratching signaled the end. Erik was removing as much of the conditioner as he could, and Charles wanted to purr from the pleasure of it all. Thankfully, the sound was not an instinctual one, and he was saved from further embarrassment. Erik turned off the water, removed the mask and towel dried his hair and ears thoroughly. The blanket was the last item removed, and Charles stood up, dizzy from the head rush and the lack of lighting.

He was then led to Erik’s chair, and sat down as a small lamp was remotely turned on, keeping the rest of the salon in the dark. “Do you trust me?” Erik asked, leaning over Charles shoulder to whisper the question directly into his customer’s ear. Charles mets a heavily shadowed face in the mirror and nodded, not daring to speak lest his attraction to the situation were to become apparent.

Erik’s fingers swiftly combed through strands, and started drying them with a low, focused setting on the dryer. Then, a distinct smell filled the air as product was applied liberally. It was cold on Charles otherwise warm head, and almost unpleasant. “You were going to ask me something special before your wash,” Erik murmured.

Charles blushed and closed his eyes. “I was going to ask you to use your powers as much as possible. The joy you get from using it is something of an serotonin release for me, and I’m quite an addict at this point,” he answered truthfully. He was actually surprised at the swiftness shears rose from the side cart. They didn’t come too near the pair, but twirled in front of them, a deliberate act of powers from the mutant.

“You like my powers,” Erik’s voice was filled with surprise at the revelation.

“Most powers are used with a specific intent, and that colors how my telepathy interprets the act. You use it because you can, because you enjoy using it. Not many people use their powers just because they can. It’s humbling, and calming.”

Charles enjoyed the sensations of Erik styling his hair in different ways for a while until the shears were slowly moved back to their place on the cart, and Erik’s hands moved away from Charles’ scalp. Charles opened his eyes and looked at himself in the mirror.

His hair was styled with mousse, swept off to the side in a more sophisticated look than Charles tended to affect unless he was going to an upper-class event. He could see the type of outfit he would pair with this hairstyle, not that he would have been able to copy it on his own. “It looks good,” Charles said, bringing a hand up to touch the soft wave at the front.

“Glad you like it.”

Charles rose from the chair and walked over to the counter, already digging into his pocket for his wallet. “It actually makes me feel guilty about not going out tonight.”

“Maybe you should, then,” Erik said with a friendly smile as he took Charles’ card.

Charles scoffed and looked off towards the mirror to avoid getting caught studying the barber’s sharp scruff-lined jaw. “Right, because it’s that easy to find someone to go out with,” he said good-naturedly. “No, I’m afraid it’s a night in grading essays with some biased, uninformed documentary playing in the background for me.” Telling his normal weeknight plans to someone as similar to Michelangelo’s David made the entire evening seem stuffy and boring. Charles felt a swell of shame rise in him.

It was quickly quelled, however, when the man let out a bark of laughter. “You’re not doing that,” he stated, eyes sparkling in the dark salon.

“I’m not?” Charles asked, raising a brow in mock challenge. If his plans were changed abruptly, well, his students could wait another day.

“No, you’re coming out with me tonight. We’re going to go to some bars.” It was a fact, and an order, and one that Charles wouldn’t have turned down, even if he’d had a better reason than that he’d be missing a thrilling documentary.

However, he couldn’t let the man know that he was that easily persuaded. “I am, am I? What makes you think I’m that easy?” he asked, cocky tilt of his head reminiscent of the student he had been before his professorial career.

Erik’s grin was positively menacing in the low lighting, and it sent a sudden shiver down Charles’ spine. All the relaxed muscles were suddenly brought to attention in the most pleasant way. “Not easy, but I was certainly hoping you’d be loose enough to dance,” he said, voice low.

Charles swallowed hard and closed his eyes, composing himself as he thought of an answer. Who was he kidding, though? His eyes snapped open and he leaned across the counter. Erik mirrored him. “You don’t have to wine and dine me to dance with me,” he whispered, lips inches from Erik’s own, eyes sparkling with mischief. It was one of the worst come-ons he had ever said, but the blown pupils in the other man’s eyes told him that it didn’t really matter. “What time do you get off?” he asked quietly, a grin spreading across his face even as his cheeks burned red.

**Author's Note:**

> It's been 2 years and about 3 haircuts since I first put this on Tumblr. I thought I'd celebrate my new trim by moving this little piece to the more official site. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading!


End file.
